Jackson County Fire District 5’s financial crisis deepened this week with the discovery of a previously unknown $1.4 million FEMA loan, pushing the district’s total debt to $9.6 million. The district is exploring options, including possible loan forgiveness.
A water conservation order that went out Tuesday morning to residents of the city of Talent and other Rogue Valley cities using water from the Medford Water Commission (MWC) system due to a power outage at its water treatment plant will remain in effect “until further notice,” MWC announced Wednesday afternoon. Not affected are the city of Ashland, which has its own water supply system, and those on private wells or on private water systems.
Expect steep declines in bus service in the Rogue Valley come Sept. 2. That’s what the city of Ashland’s Transportation Advisory Committee was told at its monthly meeting Thursday where they received updates from Rogue Valley Transportation District Associate Planner Edem Gomez about the funding situation at RVTD and what it will mean for changes to bus routes in Ashland and the Rogue Valley.
As layoffs were ordered July 7 for nearly 500 Oregon Department of Transportation workers, effective July 31 with a second round likely by early 2026, local government officials were taking stock of the impacts the loss of state transportation dollars would mean for Southern Oregon.
Rogue Valley Transportation District might eliminate two-thirds of its 15 bus routes and lay off up to 82 employees because of a freeze in federal funds. While no routes have been cut yet, RVTD will be looking at routes with low ridership, such as the relatively new Route 17 in Ashland, which was funded by a grant.
Jackson County officials say careful budgeting and sound financial management have ensured fiscal stability at a time when most counties around the state are grappling with shortfalls. Jackson County Administrator Danny Jordan said the county is in good financial shape and able to fund needed capital improvements thanks to a healthy reserve fund.
Fire season is just around the corner for Jackson and Josephine counties, and one of the restrictions enacted by the season start will involve parts of the Bear Creek Greenway.
Fire season returns to Jackson and Josephine counties on June 1, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Jackson County voters have spoken at the ballot box.
Jackson County Parks took advantage of the dip in visitors to install upgrades such as ADA-compliant restrooms and granite tent pads in the campground. Lambert said the county replaced stairs and sidewalks throughout the park and remodeled the concessions area where waterslides used to be.
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Ask Strider: A worried older brother asks our advice columnist’s advice. And a dog’s guardian wants to know if there is any hope getting their hat-hating dog to calm down. As always, Strider tries to give words that help!
After a successful production of “The Vagina Monologues” and raising more than $2,000 for Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, Ashland actor and director Lia Dugal intends for “The Climate Monologues” to premiere in Oregon in late 2025 or early 2026 at the Bellview Grange in Ashland.
It’s complicated.
Herbert Rothschild: Whether visualization and intention by themselves can effect broad social change is impossible to determine, but the question merits sustained consideration.
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